Innovation and Technology Drive Zimmer 2006 AAOS Presence
View the 2006 Daily Highlights Blog
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The Zimmer® Gender Solutions™ Knee led Zimmer's presence at the 2006 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) meeting on March 22 to 24 in Chicago. With a wealth of other new products, technologies, and hands-on activities, Zimmer created a strong showing at the 2006 record-breaking meeting. |
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The meeting was originally scheduled for New Orleans, but was moved to
Chicago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The AAOS reported that surgeon attendance set a near record with about 13,000 surgeons and related health professionals registering, including a record of some 4,500 non-U.S. surgeons.
Gender Solutions Technology was in the spotlight for Zimmer throughout the meeting and on Zimmer's continuing research on other gender-related issues such as gender differences in the hip.
Gender Solutions technology was featured in special product areas in the Zimmer exhibit booth, in surgeon education presentations in the Zimmer theater, and in a special panel presentation at the annual Zimmer analyst meeting.
Zimmer also profiled numerous other new products and surgical approaches during the meeting. Among these were the new Trabecular Metal™ Primary Hip Prosthesis and the new Epoch® II Composite Hip Stem that each addresses a range of surgeon issues. Both are planned for full product launches in 2006 year. Zimmer also presented Metasul® Metal-on-Metal Tribological Solutions and Durom® Hip Resurfacing System LDH (large heads) to U.S. surgeons for the first time. Durom technology, which has been marketed previously in Europe, received U.S. 510(k) clearance the week before the AAOS meeting.
Zimmer also introduced several new shoulder products, such as the new Anatomical Shoulder™ Inverse/Reverse System that addresses a number of different surgical philosophies for upper extremities.
In Trauma, Zimmer profiled new Minimally Invasive Solutions™(MIS) technologies for femoral nailing and for the Zimmer Periarticular Locking Plate System. Zimmer also introduced the new NCB® Locking Plates (non-contact bridging) that feature variable-angle locking screws to allow surgeons greater choice of where to apply screws; it is planned for a full product launch later this year.
In a special product area for Computer-Assisted Solutions, Zimmer presented the BRIGIT™ Bone Resection Instrument Guide ("BRIGIT" is an acronym for "Bone Resection Instrument Guidance by Intelligent Telemanipulator").
The Orthopaedic Surgical Products area featured the new A.T.S® 3000 Tourniquet System and PALACOS* bone cement line of products for which Zimmer is now the exclusive U.S. distributor.
Education - Big Part of the Zimmer Activities
Products were only part of the Zimmer presence. The Zimmer exhibit theater featured 33 surgeon education presentations on a wide variety of topics. Among these topics included several presentations on health care economics and efficiency. The potential economic benefits of Zimmer MIS procedures was also incorporated into the specific MIS presentation areas for both knees and hips in the Zimmer exhibit booth.
*PALACOS® is a trademark of Heraeus Kulzer GmbH. Under license from Heraeus Kulzer Gmbh, Hanau, Germany
